Question

My baby has been measuring big and hasnt drop yet how will I know if she has dropped?

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I am 36 weeks pregnant and have a scheduled c-section as a back up plan if I cant do a VBAC. Since I was 28 weeks my daughter has been measuring 2 weeks big and at my last appointment my doctor said she was head down but not engaged and that I wont dilate if she doesnt drop into my pelvis. I have been reading articles about once baby drops you will notice your stomache drop will low and feel a lot of pressure on your pelvis and bladder and that you'll feel relief on your lungs stomach and ribs. I still feel some pressure on all 3 but not as much as before and my stomach still looks high up but at the same time I been feeing a lot of pressure on my pelvis and been using the bathroom a lot more and have been getting sharp shooting pains in my vagina when I sit and/or walk in the last week and a half and my stomach went from soft to rock hard. I am just wondering if shes too big will she get stuck and not drop and if she does drop will I even notice it because she is big.

Mom Answers

My baby dropped at about 34 weeks (I'm 36 1/2 weeks now) and along with the symptoms you listed in your question, when your baby drops, you may notice that you can successfully balance a bowl or coffee mug on your belly when you sit down ~~ because the gap between your bust and your belly will widen, creating a 90 degree shelf almost! I know it sounds ridiculous, but before the little guy dropped, this was just not happening at all!

From what I've read, you might not know if baby does "drop". I'm expecting baby #4 and none of my other 3 ever dropped, or engaged and stayed stuck in the pelvis, until I was in labor. In fact, I was dilated to 10 with my daughter and she was still at a -4 (not dropped at all!) Then, my water broke and I pushed her out in a matter of minutes. Your cervix can definitely dilate without baby dropping.

Ultrasounds can be off by so many ozs/lbs so sometimes the babies are not as big as the docs say. I remember my baby measured 6.9 lbs via ultrasound at 32 weeks but when she was born at 39 weeks she was 6.10 lbs. It was similar with my SIL too. Her first baby was 8.2lbs and they were telling her the second one was big and he was nearly a lb less than his brother. Each baby drops when they are ready. So try not to stress much. I did not remember a significant feeling of ease when my baby dropped but I do remember feeling a little better later in the pregnancy and having more energy. I felt more pressure in the pelvic area too. Also, I remember rading that with a subsequent pregnancy the bodyworks in a different order than itdoes for a first time birth.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/effacement.html
How will I know if and when I am effaced?
In your final weeks of pregnancy your health care provider will routinely check for effacement and as soon as you arri

First, calm down!! :) You are stressing yourself out big time...haha. Second...all of the tests that they do for measuring are only guesstimates and she might not even be that large and probably not large enough to just get stuck. This does happen, but generally the body can accommodate the baby which is the sharp pains. Your bones and all are shifting around to make room for delivery. The best ways to get baby to engage are to move around alot...walking and bouncing on a yoga ball! Research it, it helps you sit in the appropriate position to get baby to engage most easily. You still have a few weeks left on the pregnancy timeline especially if you are hoping for a spontaneous labor start.

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